Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words
TAKATA RECALL THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKED UP AND THE INGNITION WON'T TURN OVER SO THE CAR REFUSES TO START. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND IT JUST SHUTOFF. THEN REFUSES TO START.THE CAR WAS TECHNICALLY STATIONARY, MY FOOT WAS IN THE BRAKE WHILE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. WE WERE ABOUT TO TURN INTO A CHURCH PARKING LOT WHEN IT STALLED OUT AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON.
14V153 RECALL WAS DONE AND PROBLEM CAME BACK WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO PAY FOR INSPECTION / DIAGNOSTIC. COMPUTER SCAN SHOWS SAME FAIL OF SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR
ENGINE GOES INTO ENGINE POWER REDUCED MODE WHILE GOING 55 ON A HIGHWAY AND SOON THE ENGINE BECOMES DISABLED WHICH DISABLES THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. NO INJURIES AS I WAS SMART ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE SITUATION, BUT THIS HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND MY CAR READS NO CODES FOR THE SITUATION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. AFTER THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER FAILED. THE STARTER WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER LAST YEAR FOR THREE MANUFACTURER RECALL REPAIRS, WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND, IF IT WERE RELEASED, THE VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN *CN
AS I DROVE FROM RACINE, WI TO MILWAUKEE, WI. TO VISIT FAMILY FOR THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND AS I WAS TO TURN CAR OFF TO PARK I WASNT ABLE TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BREAKS, COULDNT GO INTO PARK, GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK COULDNT MOVE IT IN TO PARK HAD TO PUT ON EMERGENCY BREAK IN ORDER TO KEEP CAR IN PARK! IT LEFT ME STRANDED WAS VERY UPSET & CONFUSED!!!
2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BODY CONTROL MODULE CONNECTION SYSTEM RECALL NOTICE AND CUSTOMER REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS FORM ISSUES. *SMD
THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN I FILL THE CAR UP COMPLETELY WITH GAS, THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR READS ZERO AND I GET A LOW-FUEL WARNING MESSAGE. WHEN THIS PROBLEM STARTED, AFTER DRIVING 15-20 MINUTES, THE GAUGE WOULD THEN READ 'FULL' AGAIN, BUT THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND DURING THIS TIME THE REMOTE START FUNCTION WOULD NOT WORK. NOW THE CAR READS EMPTY AT ALL TIMES, THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AND THE REMOTE START DOES NOT WORK. THIS LED ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE CAR STALLING WHILE ON THE ROAD, AS I HAVE READ HAPPENING TO OTHER GM VEHICLE MODELS, AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT RUNNING OUT OF GAS AGAIN. FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE VERY COMMON WITH GM VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY THE MALIBU, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED. *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. NO POWER TO ANYTHING. *TR
AS THE POWER STEERING IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT YET RECEIVED THE PARTS FOR MY BULLETIN FOR THE ISSUED RECALL, THE MECHANIC HAS NOW TOLD ME THE TORQUE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING ISSUE IS LEADING TO THE FAILURE OF THE AC CONDENSER AS THEY ARE BOTH RUNNING OFF THE LINKED PULLEYS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT BY THE INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE. *TR
DRIVING AT 40 MPH, ALL POWERED FUNCTIONS SHUT OFF - NO POWER STEERING, HARD TO BRAKE, AND ENGINE JUST QUITS. ALL "IDIOT" LIGHTS COME ON: FUEL, OIL, STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL... JUST LIKE BEFORE YOU IMMEDIATELY START THE CAR, WHERE ALL LIGHTS FLASH ON. AFTER TWO MINUTES OF REST - I TRY THE CAR AGAIN AND IT STARTS. TODAY, (7/15), THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF EACH OTHER. THE FIST INCIDENT WAS EXACTLY A WEEK FROM TODAY ON 7/08, SAME SPEED, SAME ROAD. THE CART JUST QUITS. I AM USING THIS CAR FOR THIS SUMMER WHERE IT IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY MOTHER. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM JIM O'BRIEN CHEVROLET IN WILLOUGHBY HILLS, OH. *TR
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS LOST POWER STEERING NEARLY CAUSING A WRECK. THIS IS A DANGER AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED BUT I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE MAILED NOTICE ON APRIL 28 . I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY CHILD AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROADWAYS. MY CAR ALSO RANDOMLY LOSES BATTERY POWER.. I ASSUME THIS IS ELECTRICAL. *TR
SEVERAL YEARS AGO VEHICLE STARTED TO EXHIBIT IGNITION MISSES WHEN MAKING SLOW SPEED TURNS 10-20MPH. CONDITION WOULD CORRECT ITSELF WHEN COMING OUT OF TURNS OR ENTRANCE RAMPS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IN 2013 AND 2014 OCCURRENCE BECAME MORE FREQUENT (2-3 TIMES WEEKLY). CHEVROLET DEALER ADVISED ME TWO MONTHS AGO THAT IT APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH AND ADVISED ME TO REMOVE UNNECESSARY WEIGHT FROM IGNITION KEY CHAIN. I IMMEDIATELY DID THIS AND PROBLEM HAS NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. HOWEVER, DEALER ADVISED THAT I COULD ADD MY NAME TO WAIT LIST FOR A NEW IGNITION SWITCH, BUT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE MY 2006 IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. SINCE MANY OTHER GM MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME LATENT DEFECT I FEEL MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED THEN THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE IGNITION WARNING LIGHT SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL METAL ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN AND RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. UPDATED 7/7/14*CN UPDATED 07/14/2014 *JS
DRIVING ALONG ON A STATE HWY AT 57MPH, POWER STEERING ALARM DINGS AND POWER STEERING CEASES AND OH CRAP!! I'M NOT WANTING TO DIE YET! I MANEUVERED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER THANKFULLY AND RESTARTED MY CAR. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. OBVIOUSLY THE CHEVY COMPANY IS WAITING FOR ENOUGH ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS TO OFFSET THE COST OF A RECALL . HAS THERE BEEN AN INVESTIGATIONS? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE? I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS, STORIES OF MECHANICS THAT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT OR CHARGE FOR A "MAYBE FIX." REALLY??? PLEASE ADVISE ME OF ANY REAL ANSWERS TO THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I'LL ALSO BE IN CONTACT WITH MY SENATOR SHEILA HARSDORF AND THE STATE OF WISCONSIN'S DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR
SOMETIMES WHEN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE GEARS ON THE DASHBOARD ALL MAKE A CLICKING SOUND AND GO DOWN TO ZERO AND THEN BACK UP. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DINGS AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING RETURNS AFTER A FEW SECONDS, HOWEVER THE CAR IS HARD TO CONTROL WHEN THE POWER STEERING DISENGAGES. THIS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO SWERVE AND BE DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEMS AND I AM UNABLE TO TAKE THE HIGHWAY. IF THE POWER STEERING WERE TO DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR SINCE IT'S DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING. ON THE HIGHWAY, WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN CITY STREETS, THERE MAY BE A GREATER RISK FOR THE INCIDENT TO OCCUR. GM HAS NOT YET RECALLED THIS VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH IT IS KNOWN THIS MODEL HAS THE ION POWER STEERING WHICH GM RECALLED IN THEIR COLBALT AND SATURN MODELS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. *TR
MY VEHICLE LOST ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING (EPS) ASSISTANCE WHEN BEING OPERATED IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE GAVE AN AUDIBLE ALERT AND WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. BECAUSE THE PARKING GARAGE CONTAINED TIGHT CORNERS AND REQUIRED SLOW SPEED OPERATION, I COULD NOT SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY, THE EPS WORKED WITHOUT A PROBLEM. THIS UNPREDICTABLE AND INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN 2006 MALIBU MAXX VEHICLES. IN FACT, CHEVROLET HAS EXTENDED WARRANTIES AND CONDUCTED SPECIAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS TO SELECT 2006 MALIBU MAXX OWNERS TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE EPS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR AS OTHER VEHICLES DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE, MY VEHICLE'S VIN FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE RANGE IDENTIFIED BY CHEVROLET. THE VIN RANGE IDENTIFIED BY CHEVROLET IS INSUFFICIENT. OWNERS LIKE MYSELF WHO OPERATE VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF THE VIN RANGE ARE NOT BEING ALERTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFECTIVE STEERING COMPONENTS. THE EPS COMPONENTS ARE KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE IN 2006 MALIBU MAXX VEHICLES AND SHOULD TO BE RECALLED. *TR
I WENT TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED BUT THE INSPECTION MACHINE CANT READ THE CAR COMPUTER. *TR
WE PURCHASED OUR 2006 MAILBU MAXX IN NOVEMBER 2005. TWO MONTHS LATER THERE WAS A VIOLENT SHAKE IN THE FRONT END, THE DEALERSHIP TURNED THE ROTORS BECAUSE THEY WERE WARPED. THEN WE STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT.THE REAR WIPER COMES ON BY ITSELF, INTERIOR LIGHTS BLOW CONSTANTLY AS WELL AS HEADLIGHTS. DOOR LOCKS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. KEYLESS HAS NOT WORKED FOR THREE YEARS EVEN WITH NEW REMOTE BATTERIES. SINCE THE CAR HAS HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN ACTING UP. MY WIFE HAS HIT OUR GARBAGE CANS AND EVEN MY TRUCK PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY. WE CANT EVEN TRADE THIS PIECE OF CRAP IN BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. OUR MALIBU HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAVE PUT 4 SETS OF BRAKES ON THE FRONT WITH HEAVY DUTY ROTORS AND THREE SETS ON THE REAR. GM IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. THIS CAR IS CRAP AND THEY KNOW IT. WE SHOULD AT LEAST GET 200 PERCENT OVER TRADE IN VALUE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. LIKE A ROCK....MORE LIKE A TURD!!!!! *TR
I BOUGHT CAR FROM LOCAL DEALER AND ON MY WAY HOME I HEARD THE DING AND THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR CAME ON AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN MY STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 85N. LUCKILY MY EXIT WAS THE NEXT ONE. CALLED GM DEALER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE NOT A RECALL. AFTER READING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE MANY PEOPLE BESIDES ME HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THIS POWER STEERING. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY OUT $600 EACH TIME IT GOES BAD DUE TO ISSUES WHEN MANUFACTURED. *TT
THE VEHICLE UNLOCKS THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY BY ITSELF WITHOUT THE POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCHES OR UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE REMOTE KEY FOB BEING ACTIVATED. THE PROBLEM OCCURS DURING DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. IN ADDITION, THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE AUXILLARY POWER IS ON (AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND THERE IS POWER TO THE WINDOWS AND RADIO - BEFORE THE DOORS ARE OPENED) AS WELL AS AFTER THE AUXILLARY POWER IS TURNED OFF (AFTER THE DOORS HAVE BEEN OPENED AND POWER TO THE RADIO AND WINDOWS HAS BEEN TURNED OFF). THE VEHICLE IS FOUND WITH ITS DOORS UNLOCKED WHEN THE DRIVER RETURNS TO THE VEHICLE (DRIVER LOCKED THE DOORS AND CONFIRMED THEY WERE LOCKED WHEN LEAVING THE VEHICLE PARKED). THE VEHICLE ALSO DISABLES THE SECURITY SYSTEM WHEN IT UNLOCKS THE DOORS CAUSING ANYONE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE ALARM OR SECURITY SYSTEM ACTIVATING. THIS CREATES A SECURITY AND SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE DOORS MAY NOT STAY LOCKED WHEN LEAVING THE VEHICLE WHICH CREATES A SECURITY CONCERN. IN ADDITION, THE DOORS MAY UNLOCK WHEN DRIVING CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS.*TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAILBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON ALL OF THE TIME. THE BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COULD BE OVERLOADED. HE ALSO SAID THAT WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKE LIGHTS SHUT OFF AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THERE WAS A TSB IN EFFECT BUT THE OWNER WAS CONCERNED SINCE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE BRAKES AFFECT THE CRUISE CONTROL MAKING IT DECELERATE AND THEN IT WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON CAR PULLING OUT OF A MALL PARKING LOT ONTO HIGHWAY. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING/TURNING ON TO HIGHWAY. DROVE CAR HOME AND PARKED. RESTARTED NEXT MORNING AND WORKED FINE. *TR
2006 MALIBU MAXX LT. POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE HARD ACCELERATION. HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE THE FIRST DAY IT WAS PURCHASED. DEALERSHIP CANT DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. WE ALMOST HAD 2 ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. POWER STEERING MESSAGE APPEARS ON THE CAR SYSTEM INFORMATION.. THE CAR ALWAYS PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT IF THE ACCELERATION HAS TO BE DONE FAST. THE VEHICLE HAS CURRENTLY 75,000 MILES. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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